The classic spaghetti meatballs is a very popular dish, you’ve seen it in Lady and the Tramp and probably eaten this when you where a kid.
But vegans! This is not a dish you have to miss out on, it can easily be veganized, taste great and even fool the meat lovers too!
This veganized version of the meatballs are of course meatless, but contain both mushrooms and soy minced meat. So the look and feel to the meatball is very authentic, and the beet root juice makes them almost bleed and gives and earthy flavour.
The tomato sauce is herby and garlicy, made from scratch and fits perfectly to the meatballs. Topped with vegan parmesan and fresh basil!
If you happen to have some leftovers of this dish left - you can easily make the Vegan Meatless Meatball Sub the next day !
Into Italian cuisine? try out these other dishes:
- Vegan Pasta Pesto Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Slow Cooked Pasta Marinara - Tomasta
- Vegan Melanzane Mornay Sauce
- Vegan Slow Cooked Spaghetti Bolognese
- Raw Vegan Gazpacho Soup
- Vegan Soy Granule Lasagna Mornay Sauce
- Vegan Spinach 'Ricotta' Cannelloni
Serves 4
Ingredients
Base
- 4 spaghetti servings
Tomato Sauce
- 1.5 kg red ripe tomatoes (3.3 lbs)
- 2 small red onions
- 2 small yellow onions
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon himalaya salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly grind black pepper
- ½ teaspoon freshly grind nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 big handful fresh basil
Meatballs
- 500 g white mushrooms (17 - 18 oz)
- 180 g ready made unmarinated soy granules (6.5 oz)
- 2 small yellow onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon Himalaya salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly grind black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
- 1.2 dl plant milk (½ cup)
- 1.2 dl beet root juice ½ cup)
- 1.2 dl bread crumbs (½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
Topping Suggestions (optional)
- Vegan Parmesan Sprinkle
- Fresh basil
What you will need
- Cutting board and knife
- 1 big bowl
- 1 big pot
- 1 spoon to stir
- Spoons to measure
- 1 brush
- 1 pan
- 1 measuring cup
- 1 oven rack
- Baking paper or silicone mats
- 1 pot and 1 strainer for pasta
Instructions
Tomato sauce
- Wash the tomatoes, chop all them roughly, leaving out the hard stem part. Put in the big bowl and put aside.
- Chop the onions and garlic and put in the big pot along with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Turn the heat on high and stir occasionally.
- When the onions are soft put in all the tomatoes and the ketchup. Bring to a simmer while stirring occasionally.
- When the sauce is simmering add in the oregano, thyme and rosemary. Turn the heat on medium/low and let simmer without the lid on for about 30 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Prepare the meatballs meanwhile.
- When simmered for 30 minutes put on the lid and let simmer on lowest heat until the meatballs are done. Before serving the sauce chop the fresh basil and put in the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Meatless Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 200c (390 F) on normal setting.
- Brush all the mushroom, please do not wet them. Roughly chop them and add to the pan.
- Dry fry them until all the liquid from the mushroom has evaporated, it doesn't look like it, but they contain a lot of liquid.
- Add oregano, thyme and rosemary, salt and pepper and dry fried until they start to show a golden colour, while stirring occasionally.
- Then add the soy granules, ketchup, tamari, sweet soy sauce and plant milk and fry until liquid has evaporated and marinated the meatless mixture to a sticky consistency.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic and put into the pan and soften them. Then transfer the meatless meat to the big bowl you used for the tomatoes before.
- Add in the cup beet root juice, bread crumbs and chia seeds. Mix well and then refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- When chilled take it out and shape small balls with clean hands. Make about 20 balls. Place them on a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone mat. Bake in the oven at 200c (390 F), in the middle of the oven for about 30-35 minutes.
- Halfway through flip the meatless meatballs and put in the oven again, then cook the spaghetti.
- Serve with spaghetti, pour the tomato sauce on top and top them with the meatballs and some Vegan Parmesan Sprinkle.
Enjoy !
